Berea Youth Soccer Club Soccer Academy

Players are divided into groups of 8-10 players. Each player should have a T shirt,

Shin guards, water and a Ball

SESSION 1 LESSON PLAN

GATES-(Maze Game/Dribbling w/ vision)

Set out 11 gates using cones about 2 yards apart. (One more gate than players.) Ask players to

see how many gates they can dribble thru in one minute. Ask each player for number. Ask them

to go faster and see if they can improve their total by 2. Add conditions. Can only dribble with

the right foot, left foot only, inside of foot, outside... Pick up the cones. Now players are dribbling

in the same area. When the coach says, “CHANGE SPEED” the players should go from slow to

fast. When the coach says, “CHANGE DIRECTION” the players should change direction.

Demonstrate moves to change direction. Have them show moves to change speed/direction.

BALL RETREIVE-(Body Awareness/Target Game)

The coach stands in the middle of the training group and has each player hand coach their ball.

Coach tosses ball in different directions and tells players ”Bring the ball back as quickly as

possible without your hands, and the ball must stay on the ground.” Put conditions on how the ball must

be brought back- i.e. using only right/left foot, alternating feet, both feet, etc. The can use

different parts of the foot- under, inside, outside, bottom, shoe strings, etc. Ask the players a

suggestion on how they want to bring the ball back.)

“I CAN DO THIS, CAN YOU DO THIS?”

(Movement education/balance/agility)

Throw the ball in the air, clap once and catch it. Same, but catch it with one hand. Clap twice

and catch the ball. Stand on one foot, throw the ball in the air and catch it. Can you balance on

one foot? Can you hop of one foot? Can you hop and change feet without stopping? Can you

go forward/backward/sideways while hopping? Can you skip? Can you jump and turn 180

degrees in the air? Can you jog backwards? Can you jog sideways? Can you create a

movement for the rest of us to copy?

GLOB- (Target Game/Dribbling for Penetration)

Players stand on the line and face the finish line about 20 yards away. They must then run

across space without being tagged by the “glob”. The Coach acts as the Glob. Do it without the

ball the first time. Then use the ball. Players must dribble their ball across the space without

being tagged by the glob. Players love to be chased. If a player is tagged, they must do a

“Martian Push up” to get back in the game. (Since there is no gravity on mars you can lie on your

back and do a push up by raising your hands in the air) You may want to set up a sideline also so

that players remain in that certain space.

COACH IS THE GOAL-(Target Game/Dribbling) & passing w/vision)

The players will dribble there balls in an area. The coach will move about and the players score

by hitting the coach (below the knees) with their ball. This involves passing. The players count

the number of goals scored. The coach can vary the difficulty by moving about quickly as players

follow the coach.

BALL PILE DRIBBLING—(Speed Dribbling)

The coach has a Pile of balls at his/her feet. The coach kicks the balls away about10-15 yards

away in different directions. Players must bring back by dribbling as quickly as possible. “Don’t

Let the pile get down to zero?”

SHARKS ANDS MINNOWS—(Target Game/Dribbling for Penetration)

Players line up with balls on one line. And face the finish line about 20yds away. They must then

run across the space without being eaten by the shark. Do it without the ball the first time. Then

use the ball. Players must dribble their ball across the space without being eaten. Players at this

age love to be chased. If a player has his/her ball kicked away by the shark, they must join the

sharks and help catch the minnows. You may play two games of this if it goes well.

4 v 4 and/ or 5 v 5 GAME TO GOALS—

Make the fields about 20-25 yards long. Use flags (or small goals or sticks) to increase the size

of the goals. The regular goals will be available if you wish to use them. Try to balance the teams

The Academy Coaches will help with this set up if needed.

Coach will be BOSS of the BALLS. The coach will stay at the half line on the side and play balls

onto the field when a ball goes out of play. Keep the game moving. Use your position as the

Boss of the BALLS to help get players involved and keep to the score even. Make sure to give every player a chance to play goalie.